1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates to the field of controlling a frequency of laser source generally, and specifically to using a thermal locker assembly to allow dynamic locking of the frequency of the laser source to any frequency within a frequency grid.
2. Description of the Related Art
In fiber-optic communication channels it is common to use Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) to transmit multiple optical signals via a single fiber. For DWDM applications each of these optical signals are tuned to a distinct frequency that corresponds to a particular channel. The channels are defined using a frequency grid (e.g., ITU-T G.694.1).
The frequencies of the optical signals produced by the laser sources are generally “locked” to their respective grid locations via a wavelength locking mechanism. In these instances, each wavelength locking mechanism is calibrated to lock a laser source to a specific frequency on a frequency grid. Additionally, these wavelength locking mechanisms generally are thermally stabilized such that no variation in temperature occurs which may cause the wavelength locking mechanism to detune from the specific frequency. Accordingly, present wavelength locking mechanisms lack flexibility in that they are unable to dynamically lock the optical output of a laser source to different frequencies, including frequencies that are off grid (i.e., a frequency that is not associated with a channel on a frequency grid).